Connecting South Dakota and the Nation

1. Maintenance Decision Support SystemPooled Fund Study TPF-5(054)David Huft, South Dakota DOTMDSS Stakeholders MeetingBoulder, CO October 20-21, 2005 Connecting South Dakota and the Nation

2. Project Partners • Colorado DOT • Indiana DOT • Iowa DOT • Kansas DOT • Minnesota DOT • North Dakota DOT • South Dakota DOT(lead state) • Wyoming DOT • Federal Highway Administration • Meridian Environmental Technology

3. Winter Maintenance Challenges • Rising expectations of traveling public and commercial carriers • Constrained agency funding and staffing • Reliable, timely, specific reports of conditions difficult to obtain • Some weather conditions are difficult to forecast • Pavement response to weather conditions and maintenance treatments is not well established • Effects and effectiveness of innovative maintenance treatments not well understood • Retiring maintenance staff replaced by less experienced workers

4. Project Objectives • Assess needs, benefits, and receptivity to MDSS in participating DOTs • Define functional and user requirements for an operational and sustainable Maintenance Decision Support System • Evaluate FHWA Functional Prototype • Build and evaluate an operational and sustainable Maintenance Decision Support System • Improve the ability to forecast road conditions in response to changing weather and applied maintenance treatments

5. Essential Elements of MDSS • Report actual road surface conditions • Report actual maintenance treatments • Assess past & present weather conditions • Assess present state of the roadway • Predict storm-event weather • Recognize resource constraints • Identify feasible maintenance treatments • Predict road surface behavior • Communicate recommendations to supervisors and workers

6. Sources RWIS Visual Observation On-vehicle Sensors Frequency Real time Near real time Media Wireless Telephony Graphical User Interface Items Reported Pavement temperature Pavement moisture type Pavement moisture depth Blowing snow Essential ElementReport Actual Road Surface Conditions

7. Sources Supervisors Truck operators On-vehicle sensors Media Wireless Telephony Graphical User Interface Elements Reported Time & Location Plow Position Material(s) Applied Application Rate Essential ElementReport Actual Maintenance Treatments

9. Sources RWIS FAA / NWS Radar Satellite Field Personnel On-vehicle sensors Conditions Reported Air Temperature Dew Point (Humidity) Wind Velocity Precipitation Type Precipitation Rate Blowing & Drifting Cloudiness Visibility Essential ElementAssess Past, Present Weather Conditions

11. Methodology Pavement Model with the Capability of Integrating: Observed Weather Reported Road Conditions Reported Maintenance Actions Items Predicted Pavement temperature Pavement moisture type(s) Pavement moisture depth(s) Chemical concentration(s) Percent ice Essential ElementAssess Present State of the Roadway

12. Future Past

13. Methodologies Computer Model Ensemble of Models Meteorologists Man/Machine Mix Time Horizon Near-term (<6 hours) Long-term Items Predicted Air Temperature Dew Point (Humidity) Wind Velocity Precipitation Type Precipitation Rate Blowing & Drifting Cloudiness/Radiation Essential ElementPredict Storm Event Weather

15. Identify Treatment Type Treatment Timing Application Rate Resource Constraints Vehicles Attachments (by vehicle) Materials (by vehicle) Staff Schedules Cycle Times Priorities Essential ElementIdentify Feasible Maintenance Treatments

16. Methodology Pavement Model with the Capability to Predict the Effects of Maintenance Actions Time Horizon Near-term (<6 hours) Long-term Items Predicted Pavement temperature Pavement moisture type(s) Pavement moisture depth(s) Chemical concentration(s) Percent ice Essential ElementPredict Road Surface Behavior

17. ‘Optimal’ Treatment Maintenance action deemed optimal by the system; safety first, cost second ‘Standard’ Treatment Anticipated maintenance based on standard local operating practices ‘What-If’ Treatments Allows user to try any number of alternative maintenance actions Media Graphical User Interface Wireless Information Provided Anticipated or recommended maintenance action(s) Expected impact of those maintenance actions on the roadway Essential Element:Communicate Recommendations

19. Project Timeline (simplified) Assess States’ Needs, Readiness 2002 Evaluate Functional Prototype 2003 Develop MDSS Software 6-State Limited Deployment 2004 Refine Pooled Fund MDSS Validation Studies 2005 8-State Field Trials 2006 Extensive Deployment 2007 Full Deployment

20. What Have We Learned? • MDSS is tactical as well as strategic • In-truck instruments are essential • Reporting road conditions • Reporting treatments by location (AVL) • Agency factors are critical • Agency culture & practice • Agency resources ($, equipment, people…) • IT, communications environment • Scale-up issues are hugely significant • “Essential Elements” are truly essential

21. Technical Directions • More Extensive Deployment • Weather & Road Prediction Validation • In-Vehicle Instrumentation • In-Vehicle Information to Operators • Improved Physical Models • Difficult Weather Conditions • Chemical Effects • Integration with DOT Information Systems (Equipment, Scheduling, Traveler Information, etc.) • Cost Analysis & Tradeoffs

22. Sustainability Issues • Intellectual Property • NOT Public Domain • Equity for partners and non-partners • Architecture • Open Architecture • Interface Standards • System Modularity • Institutional Issues • Fit to specific DOT cultures & practices • Advancing the State of Art & Practice

23. Partner Responsibilities • Contribute Financially • Contribute Intellectually • Project Panel Meetings • Conference Calls • Technical Product Reviews • Conduct Field Trials • Intellectual Property Stewardship

24. For More Information: Contact David L. Huft SDDOT Office of Research 700 East Broadway Pierre, SD 57501-2586 Phone: 605.773.3358 Fax: 605.773.4713 dave.huft@state.sd.us Look at http://mdss.meridian-enviro.com http://www.pooledfund.org